ZIMBABWE international midfielder Marvelous Nakamba is set to become the country’s highest earning local footballer ever following reports that he will earn an eye-watering £55,000-a-week (US$ 67 000) in addition to a multi-million pound signing-on fee as he edges closer to a dream £11million move to English Premier League side Aston Villa.
According to the respected football website Football Insider, Nakamba agreed personal terms with the club and was set to undergo a medical at the Villans on Monday.
It will bring an end to the Midlands giants’ pursuit of the midfield anchorman, who is set to become the club’s second signing of the summer from Belgian football giants Club Brugge.
Villa, who are preparing for their first season back in the Premier League for three years, will not be able to complete the transfer until Nakamba has secured a work permit but the club are confident of doing so.
However it is Nakamba’s weekly wages with Aston Villa which are set to propel him into one of if not the highest earning Zimbabwean sportsman at the moment.
The 25 year-old Warriors star is set to officially become Aston Villa’s 11th signing as the Dean Smith-managed side take their summer spending past the £125million mark during the current transfer window period.
Brazilian striker Wesley Moraes has already arrived at Villa Park in a deal worth around £22million, a club record until it was surpassed shortly afterwards by the £26 million Tyrone Mings transfer.
Nakamba represented Zimbabwe at the African Cup of Nations this summer, but only featured in their opening-match defeat to Egypt as injury ruled him out of the remainder of their unsuccessful group stage campaign.
He made 67 appearances in two seasons for Brugge, including starts in four of their six Champions League group games last season.
Nakamba’s impending move makes him the fourth Zimbabwean to play in the English Premiership after Bruce Grobbelaar, Peter Ndlovu and Benjani Mwaruwari.
Nottingham Forrest defender Tendayi Darikwa won the English Championship title with Burnley but was never given a minute of action in the Premiership.
Not since 2011, when Benjani left Blackburn, has Zimbabwe had a player in the English top-flight league, which is widely regarded as the best football championship.
